I will get into Ziddim and answer the questions in a while.

What's up, guys? Where have you been? I must say I'm a little offended that you've mostly all gone silent. I'm still accepting answers to the assignment, but it's not necessary. I'd just like to know what parts I did best on.

Edmund didn't think that his own bed had ever been quite as comfortable as it was now. He had entered the room just moments ago to find it almost exactly the way it was when he left - not a thing was out of its place.

After taking in the beautiful sight, Edmund had thrust himself upon his bed, sinking into the thick covers. He pulled his pillow up to his chest and hugged it close, nuzzling his face into the smooth silk of the pillowcase. The scent nearly put Edmund to sleep. It was all so familiar, and his mind was comforted by the smell of his pillow. The smell meant that he was in a safe place and he could ease himself into sleep without having to worry about a sole thing.

Edmund was worn from the long trip back to Cair Paravel and was almost relieved that it was night already. Nearly all of Narnia would be fast asleep by now, and soon he would join.

Climbing further up into bed, Edmund lifted the covers and slipped inside, allowing his bare feet to poke out the other side of his comforter. After blowing out the candle on his nightstand, Narnia's Just King rolled into his stomach and stretched both arms out to his left, grabbing hold of his pillow and pulling it to his face, once more. Edmund's head dropped down against his second pillow and he closed his eyes tightly, casting away all he knew to slip into sleep's comforting embrace.

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Umed carried himself through the halls of the palace of the Tisroc. Hardly a spare moment was ever given to him, as he was always busy with his daily chores. When he was in between or finished with his chores he never got close enough to the slave quarters to rest his weary body. It almost seemed that every Calormene in the palace needed assistance only when they saw a slave passing by.

If only Peter were here now; without a second thought, the High King would have drawn his sword and, without the slightest bit of sense or grace, relieved every Calormene's miserable shoulders of their wretched head. It almost made Umed chuckle to imagine the look on King Judas's face when he beheld such a dastardly sight, presented by none other than Narnia's High King.

It would be quite the spectacle once Peter made his show.

"Rotten slave." Came a gruff voice.

Umed froze his step, expecting the owner to be cursing him. He quickly found, however, that that was not the case.

Just a few feet to Umed's right stood a Calormene, towering over a trembling slave girl. Umed had recalled seeing the girl before, though he had never bothered to learn her name. There was no use in getting close to people if he could not be permitted to take them with when he was freed; it would only cause for more pain than he was in already.

"I thought I told you to bring the red wine, not the white."

Of course it was something as silly as that. Calormenes would look for any little reason to lash out at a slave.

"I- I'm sorry... I d-didn't mean it." The girl stammered, keeping her head down in submit to the man's authority.

"Oh? So, now you think you can talk to me without being permitted?" The Calormene practically shook with anger. "I ought to beat you where you sit!"

The young girl said nothing, but it was clear to Umed that she couldn't keep the sobs from escaping past her quivering lips.

"Shut up, stupid girl, or I'll be forced to make good on my threat."

The girl couldn't stop her crying. Her heavy gasps were clear indicators that she tried to hold it in, but she continued her sobbing, nonetheless.

Normally, Umed would have just sighed sadly and continued on his way to avoid having to see the outcome of this development, but his attention was so caught up in the helplessness of the young girl. That's why, when the Calormene rose his fist, prepared to swing it down upon the poor creature, Umed found himself propelling toward the vile man.

Before any of them knew what had happened, Umed was on top of the Calormene, swinging his white knuckled fists down upon the face of the monster until they bled. Umed didn't know how much time had passed before he felt two pairs of hands clutch his arms and drag him to his feet. When he looked down upon his handiwork he saw the bloody-faced Calormene, nearly beaten to unconsciousness. The young girl had apparently run off.

"You scum." One of the soldiers holding his arm said. "Just what do you think you were doing?"

Umed couldn't find any answering words within him. All he could do was stare blankly down at the man lying on the ground.

"The Tisroc (may he live forever) could have you executed for this." The second man said.

"You're lucky that this was your first real trouble; the Tisroc (may he live forever) will settle with a lashing."

The next few moments were a bit of a blur for Umed. He could barely register anything as he felt himself himself being dragged to the outside of the palace where his cloak was removed from his back and he was tied between two poles - one wrist to each pole, placing him in in a 'T' position.

Little clusters of people gathered around him to witness the punishment. Edmund could hear the crack of the whip as it was prepared behind him. He closed his eyes to brace for the pain that would ensue.

CRACK! Went the whip and the stinging leather collided with Umed's bare back. He had to bite his lip to keep from letting a cry or even a whimper escape him.

Once again, there was a loud CRACK!

This time, Umed couldn't help a little grunt of pain. His lips had begun to bleed from him digging his teeth so hard into them.

CRACK! Every lash that struck Umed's skin hurt worse than the one before it. Every swing of the whip drew a little louder of a cry from between Umed's lips.

CRACK! The faces before him began to grow fuzzy. From the throb in his throat, Umed knew that he must be screaming, but he could hear nothing but the beating of his own heart and the crack of the whip.

CRACK! The pain continued searing through Umed's body. He could hardly distinguish between the lashes, by now. The only way to know that he'd been struck again was by the sound of the whip being brought down upon his bloodied back and the throb of his throat as he tried hard to hear himself cry out.

CRACK! How many times he'd been hit, Umed did not know anymore.

CRACK! How much more could he take?

CRACK! His vision was beginning to fade.

CRACK! No more.

CRACK!

CRACK!

CRACK!

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Edmund woke with a start, sitting up in bed and instinctively cowering and covering his head, prepared for the blow his slave master would deal. He whimpered slightly at the anticipation.

"Edmund?" Whispered a quiet and familiar voice.

He lowered his arms and loosened up. "Lu?"

Lucy's shining blue eyes stared back at Edmund. "Are you alright?"

Edmund didn't answer; instead, he looked around to find himself still in his room, sitting on his bed with Lucy sat beside him. "What are you doing in here? It's the middle of the night." He asked, looking back to his little sister.

Lucy downcast her eyes. "I just wanted to assure myself that you're still here. I feel like if I leave you you'll just disappear again. Then... you had a nightmare." Lucy looked back up to his eyes.

Edmund felt embarrassed, now. He was supposed to be strong for Lucy; she needed to see him strong. "I'm sorry, Lu."

A short moment of silence passed between them before Lucy broke it with her gentle voice. "Why did you flinch away?"

"I... I just-" Edmund didn't know what to say.

"You were scared that I would hurt you." Lucy finished for him. She gave him a pitying look that he could barely stand to see. Lucy shouldn't have to give him that look.

Edmund lowered his head in shame, bringing his hands up to cover his eyes. Two sets of five warm fingers wrapped around his wrists and pulled them away from his face. Lucy's thumb rubbed against the rope scarring on his wrists, tracing over the horrible memories.

"You don't have to be ashamed. You couldn't help it." Lucy's soft voice comforted.

"I know, I know, but I should be strong. I should be strong for you. What kind of example can I be if I act so pathetically before my little sister?" Edmund looked timidly back up.

Lucy rubbed the backs of his hands in a comforting motion. "I can hardly care how you act after such a horrible happening. You survived. You fought for us and came back to us; that's a better example than anything. It can be good to see your highers like this. This means that you are human. There is nothing wrong with it, at all."

Edmund gave a small smirk. "It means a lot coming from you, Lu."

Lucy smiled. "We'll all be here for you, Edmund. That's really what siblings are for. We need to be able to show each other our weaknesses. The only way to overcome them is together."